ThinkPad W700 With Secondary Screen Revealed

Secondary screens aren’t a new idea, Samsung’s SyncMaster 2263DX packed a 7in example, but a laptop with one, and a ThinkPad at that, is pretty intriguing. Revealed on IBM’s website (assuaging any doubts of its legitimacy), then, is a new configuration of the ThinkPad W700, throwing a secondary 10.6in screen into the package.

What’s most interesting is the resolution of said screen which, unlike the myriad of 10.6in panels sported by various manufacturers netbooks, with their paltry 1,024 x 600 resolution screens, the display accompanying the W700 has a much better 1,280 x 768 pixels. That, to my mind, means it should actually be usable for purposes other than just, say, showing pallets in Photoshop, or an iPlayer window.

Quite how this second monitor will be attached to the W700 is unspecified, but it seems reasonable to assume it will be freestanding and connect via DisplayLink. And look absolutely nothing like my very poor artist’s impression above.

It’s also likely that a reasonable premium over the standard W700, which retails from the £2,200 region, will be levied. As I already suggested, though, the resolution and size of the 10.6in secondary screen means it might actually be a worthwhile addition.

As with every new product announced from now until January, we can probably expect a début at CES.